Accra: The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate removal of the one Ghana Cedi levy on petroleum products, popularly known as the 'dumsor levy,' to ease the burden on Ghanaians as fuel prices continue to surge amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Speaking to the media in Parliament, Deputy Ranking Member of the Energy Committee, Collins Adomako Mensah, argued that the levy has outlived its purpose and should be abolished under a certificate of urgency.
According to Ghana Web, Mensah highlighted that the global landscape has shifted significantly, with the cedi no longer able to absorb the impact of the levy. Projections by the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies indicate that petrol prices could rise by as much as 16.92% and diesel by 17.2% in the coming pricing window of March 2026 alone. He emphasized that these sharp increases are driven by rising crude oil prices, which surged from approximately $71.41 per barrel to over $100 per barrel in mid-March amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Mensah noted that diesel was selling at 15.60 per litre and petrol had exceeded 12.40 per litre.
The Energy Sector Levy's Amendment Act of 2025 added approximately one Ghana Cedi to the price build-up, bringing the total energy sector shortfall and debt repayment levy to 1.95 Ghana Cedi for petrol and 1.93 Ghana Cedi for diesel. Mensah argued that if the guarantee has been restored and the cedi is no longer shielding consumers from the levy's impact, then the justification for the one Ghana Cedi dumsor levy has completely evaporated. He stressed that retaining the levy is not a policy but a punishment.
Mensah urged the government to amend the Energy Sector Levy's Amendment Act 2025 under a Certificate of Urgency to repeal the one Ghana Cedi dumsor levy immediately. He also called for a comprehensive review of all taxes and levies embedded in the petroleum price build-up and suggested suspending or restricting those that could cushion consumers from the full impact of the current global oil price shock.